Around The World In Eighty Days
Pateley Bridge Dramatic Society's 2024 pantomime "Around the World in 80Days", written by Dave Crump and directed by Ruth Dodsworth, is of course based on Jules Verne's novel "Around the World in Eighty Days". Although at first an unlikely subject for a panto, all the ingredients are there. During the performance we are hurled from location to location on a whistle-stop chase around the globe in the capable hands of the talented cast and equally talented backstage crew.
A Cockney Medley
After a rousing opening medley of Cockney classics delivered by the cast, the story begins as does the almost non-stop quickfire delivery of the requisite panto gags, putdowns, puns and dad jokes that kept the audience in hoots of laughter throughout.
Fix & Break, Joyce Liggins and Libby Mae Issitt with Nobby The Knit, Phoebe Kendall
We witness bank robber Nobby The Knit (Phoebe Kendall) being chased by perpetually perplexed police duo Fix (Joyce Liggins) and Break (Libby Mae Issitt), our expertly played comedy stooges.
Keith Burton as Passpartout
Into them stumbles Passpartout (Keith Burton) thewell-meaning, but none too bright French valet. He is the panto's "Buttons" character and livens up proceedings by making it clear to us that audience participation is not optional!
Hugh Cawley as Flannagan and Jerry Harvey as Thompson
Victorian gents Thompson (Hugh Cawley) and Flannagan (Jerry Harvey) introduce us to Gringeworthy, the Governor of the recently-robbed Bank of England.
Rich Blackburn as Gringeworthy
Gringeworthy (Rich Blackburn) is our panto baddie ("oh no he isn't"), played with totally convincing obnoxious gusto. He elicited hisses and boos from the audience within seconds of appearing!
Ben Derrick as Phileas Fogg
Enter Phileas Fogg (Ben Derrick) our silver-tongued hero oozing confidence from every pore. Around the world in eighty days?
Jo Jefferson as Fairy Satnav
The bet is made between Fogg and Gringeworthy and the journey begins, but not without the charming help of our panto fairy godmother Saturn Nirvana or "SatNav" (Jo Jefferson) who, on being summoned by the audience, offers calm advice and directions (literally). Fogg asks SatNav for the nearest travel agent and thus Amanda Cook (Peter Buller) enters.
Peter Buller as Amanda Cook
Here we have our panto dame of course, skilfully and hilariously flirting, wise-cracking and delivering enough subtle, inoffensive innuendo to keep the grown-ups in the audience in stitches.
Carol Bailey as a BBC Correspondent
We arrive in France to a change of projected backdrop and beautifully painted scenery flats of a cafe. Progress of each stage of the journey is reported by a BBC correspondent (Carol Bailey) who skilfully changes her accent and costume throughout the performance.
George Collinson as the Pirate Captain
Enter our travellers and immediately cue the de rigueur French language and food gags, followed by pirate gang and hidden hostage stage left. Semolina pirates to be precise with the pirate captain (George Collinson) demanding semolina pudding and other wholesome English foods - Aaaarrggghh!
Surfina, Olivia Skipsey with Passpartout
Our heroes free the hostage who turns out to be Surfina (Olivia Skipsey), a beautiful and charming Egyptian girl.
Next stop Cairo. Enter Fix, Break and Gringeworthy in their continuing but hapless attempt to sabotage Fogg's progress.
Fogg and Surfina with Linda Harvey as Helena Carter
Swap villains for heroes and we meet Helena Carter (Linda Harvey) the confident archaeologist and friend of Surfina's father (Steve Hunt). Hers is a cameo scene to set up one gag. Was it worth it? Yes, it was.
Jo Wright as the Maharina
Onwards to Bombay where we meet the sophisticated and educated Maharina (Jo Wright) who stamps (on) the travellers' passports, gives them the bad news about the unfinished railway and lends them elephants.
The Elephants
Well done props department, those elephants were magnificent in their diminutiveness!
Amanda with Hugh Cawley as the Dalai Lama and Linda Harvey as Sherpa Tenzing
To Mount Everest, where the travellers meet the elegant and wise Dalai Lama (Hugh Cawley) who gives them a hot air balloon for their onward journey - however not before they are ambushed by the "it's behind you" Abominable Snowman (Phoebe Kendall)!
Gringeworthy tempts Passpartout
Landing in Hong Kong, Passpartout is rescued by SatNav from Gringeworthy's dastardly attempt to delay our travellers with help from the audience. No panto complete without a gratuitous deus-ex-machina moment!
Steamer across the Pacific. Specifically a Pacific steamer. (The gags, they just kept coming.)
Amanda with Captain Speedy, Andy White
The unflappable Captain Speedy (Andy White) brushes off Amanda's advances and makes full steam for the dash to San Francisco.
Passpartout meets Rusty Spoke, Jerry Harvey
Here we meet bandy-legged, gun-slinging old cowboy Rusty Spoke (Jerry Harvey) and a cross-country sprint in a stage coach pursued by annoyed Cherokee warriors
Darryl Hall as Chief Sitting Bull meets Gringeworthy
and their wise and ultimately peace-loving Chief Sitting Bull (Darryl Hall) who were put up to the job by Gringeworthy, Fix and Break (boo).
Steve Hunt as General Custer
Our heroes are captured but SatNav conjures up General Custer (Steve Hunt) who barters for their release by a wonderfully contrived setup for the "Custer's Last Stand" gag.
Congratulations on another super pantomime production. The acting, characters and line (aka gag) delivery were excellent. Well done and thanks to newcomers Olivia, Rich, George and Andy. It is always great to see new faces on stage at the Playhouse. A big hand also for the backstage, lighting and sound crew who, as always, delivered some top-notch scenery and effects.
Three men in a boat
Review by Sean Kayll
Photographs by Chris Iredale